Sex differences in adrenocortical structure and function |
| |
Authors: | Dr Ludwik K Malendowicz |
| |
Institution: | (1) Department of Histology and Embryology, Poznan Academy of Medicine, Poznan, Poland;(2) Department of Histology and Embryology, Pozna Academy of Medicine, 6 wiçicki Str., Pl-60-781 Pozna , Poland |
| |
Abstract: | Summary The zonation and cellular composition of the adrenal cortex of intact mature male and female rats of different strains (Chbb Thomm, CFY) and three strains of Wistar rats (W1, W2 and W3) at the age of 84–90 days were compared using morphometry.Both absolute and relative adrenal gland weights were higher in female than male rats. Rats of W3 and Chbb Thomm strains had the largest adrenals. These differences depended upon the higher volume of the zona fasciculata (ZF) and zona reticularis (ZR) in the W3 and Chbb Thomm strains than in the remaining animals. Females had larger adrenocortical zones than corresponding males. The average volume of the ZF cell ranged in males from 1589 m3 (W1 strain) to 2111 m3 (Chbb Thomm) and in females from 2249 m3 (W1 strain) to 2894 m3 (W3 strain). The average nuclear volume of the ZF cells was higher in female rats whereas there were no strain-and sex-differences in the size of zona glomerulosa (ZG) and ZR cells.The total number of parenchymal cells per pair of adrenals varied markedly among the studied strains, with the highest number in W3 and Chbb Thomm females. W3, Chbb Thomm and CFY females had larger number of parenchymal cells than males; the reverse was true for W1 strain whereas no differences were found among W2 male and female rats. |
| |
Keywords: | Different strains Adrenal cortex Zonation Cellular composition Sex differences Rat |
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录! |
|